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Did you know that all the different tea times in Britain have a specific name? Pretty neat. Afternoon tea and high tea are sometimes used interchangeably but if you really know your British tea habits, you will know they are nowhere near the same. Afternoon Tea is more for the non-working class or those who have plenty of afternoon time while high tea is for the working class. (aka: most of us busy people)
Afternoon Tea
If you’re like me, you’re snacking between lunch and dinner because it feels like such a long gap of no food. This is exactly what afternoon tea was designed for. Afternoon tea emerged in the early 19th century. This tradition is carried out at 4 pm and everyone sits down with their cuppa & nibble on some sandwiches and scones. Back then, they often ate diner very late back because afternoon tea fulfilled their hungry tummy’s. Then they usually serve dinner as late as 8pm. (I’d be starving)
In today’s day, they simply use afternoon tea as a refreshment, not a decadent meal. Not many have the time to sit down and enjoy many scones & cakes at 4pm. They are working and getting along with life. Ever wanted to try out this tradition? Check out some of the famous tea rooms in Britain.
High Tea
As we said above, many are working during afternoon tea so they have to wait til after work to enjoy their cuppa. Since they are enjoying after work, they are usually very hungry so the meal that comes with the tea is little more hearty. Some may even refer to this as supper because it is basically a full meal.
-Alexis
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The Original Cake Co.
is based out of Lincoln, UK and they pride their expertise in making some of the most delicious homemade fruit cakes in Britain. They typically sell to individual retailers in the UK but we are fortunate enough to be able to sell them to you here in United States. If you have the opportunity to try one of these fruit cakes, it is a must! My personal favorite is the rum & butter fruit cake! (Yum!) Along with fruitcakes, the OCC also specializes in Christmas cakes, chocolate truffle cakes & flapjacks. (Flapjacks are made with jumbo oats, butter, golden syrup & brown sugar and come in a fold out skillet.)
It has taken this company decades to perfect their recipes just as grandma has perfected her lasagna over the years at your weekly dinner gathering. They have over 150 years experience in the cake baking industry. Each premium cake is baked in small batches so that fine detail is paid much attention to. Explore the types of cakes we offer below to see if one interests you or someone in your household this Holiday Season!
*Each cake serves 6-8 slices and is best served with clotted or devon cream*
The fruit cake options we have available are as follows:
You can also follow The Original Cake Co. on twitter for some behind the scenes baking action!
-Alexis
Coming to you from the UK, this family business has nothing but amazing tasting teas to offer. We decided to add this brand based on your input as our consumers because we had a ton of recommendations to sell it! There are a total of four generations behind this business so they definitely know what they’re doing.
Ahmad Tea opened their first office in 1986 in Hampshire, UK. Anybody ever been? Iced tea & green tea officially became their best sellers around 1998. And by 2000, Ahmad Tea became one of the top 5 leading tea brands across Asia!
If we haven’t convinced you enough how great tea is for the body, maybe they can. You can check out some details on their site regarding the benefits of tea!
We have plenty of different options for you to try based on your personal preference:
- Black Tea Base with a Slight Touch of Bergamot
- Imported from UK
- $3.90/ 20 Foil Wrapped Tea Bags
Ahmad Tea’s Apricot Sunrise- Black Tea Base with Apricot Fruit Pieces
- Imported from UK
- $3.90/ 20 Foil Wrapped Tea Bags
Ahmad Tea’s Rosehip, Hibiscus & Cherry Herbal Tea Bags:
- Rosehip Peel, Hibiscus Flower & Cherry Pieces
- Mainly a Natural Cherry/Wine-Like Flavor
- Caffeine Free
- Sugar Free
- Rich in Antioxidants
- Imported from UK
- $4.20/ 20 Foil Wrapped Tea Bags
Ahmad Tea’s Green Tea Bags- Pure Green Tea from China
- Imported from UK
- Light Taste
- Floral Aroma
- $3.90/ 20 Foil Wrapped Tea Bags
They also offer a decaf evening tea, camomile & lemongrass, raspberry & pomegranate, detox cleansing, and blackcurrant burst.
If you happen to purchase & try any of these teas please let us know how you like them by commenting on the Facebook page, commenting below or leaving a review on the product page on the ETS site! We appreciate your opinion.
-Alexis
Mmm. Nothing could pair better with stuffing & turkey than a delicious cold glass of apple iced tea! There are so many different substitutes available so feel free to sub anything in the following recipe to suit you & your family. There is both a kid friendly and adult version!
You’ll Need:
- 16 oz. Boiling Water
- 16 oz. Apple Juice
- 2 Tea Bags (Can use black, cinnamon or apple spice)
- 3 TBSP Honey
- 2 Lemons
- Ice
- 1 Read Apple – Sliced
- 1 Green Apple – Sliced
- Add tea bags to large bowl containing boiling water & steep for 10 minutes.
- Remove tea bags, stir in honey & juice of two lemons. (Skip honey if using sweetened apple juice)
- Let tea cool – pour into pitcher.
- Stir in apple juice.
- Put in refrigerator until ready to serve.
- Pour into glasses & add apples and ice as garnish. (mint leaves are also optional)
- Serve!
**For a more adult version, add 2 ounces of gin, 4 ounces of apple flavored vodka & 2 ounces of bourbon!
-Alexis
Personally, I enjoy both coffee & tea but some greatly prefer one over the other for different reasons. It could be simply for the taste, for the caffeine amount or the ease of making it. As we are a tea store, we mainly focus on tea benefits but it is informative to compare the two most consumed morning drinks in America. There are benefits to both coffee and tea as can be seen in the interesting facts below. Enjoy the benefit face off!
The average American coffee drinker drinks 70 gallons of coffee per year while the average American tea drinker drinks 10 gallons of tea per year.
An 8 fl oz. cup of coffee contains 75-100 mg of caffeine while an 8 fl oz. cup of tea contains 0-40 mg of caffeine.
Coffee is greatly studied to show decreased risk of Alzheimer’s Disease in consumers while tea is greatly studied to show decreased stress in consumers.
Coffee has been linked to protection against Type 2 diabetes while tea has been linked to protection against stoke & heart disease.
Topically, brewed coffee can add a glossy shine to your hair while the tannin’s in tea work well on puffy eyes.
Thank you to the mayoclinic, medicaldaily, naturalivingideas and teasource for this information.
-Alexis
We are all about tradition here at the English Tea Store. English Christmas Pudding, also known as Plum Pudding or Figgy Pudding, is a delicious Christmas dinner tradition dating back to the 14th century! It has been changed & re-invented over the years. By Victorian times, it has molded into what they are today, a delicious modern take on a blend of nutmeg, raisins, nuts, apples, cinnamon & many other ingredients! (Each brand has different ingredients) Spend more time enjoying your family this Christmas than in the kitchen and get a Christmas pudding today!
Putting a silver coin in the pudding is another custom that is said to bring luck to the person that finds it first! That may be a fun tradition to start with your family.
#1: Matthew Walker’s Classic Christmas Pudding
Ingredients: Sultanas (31%) (contains Cottonseed Oil), Sugar, Breadcrumbs (Wheat Flour, Wholemeal Wheat Flour, Wheat Germ, Yeast, Salt), Water, Cider (7%), Palm Oil, Wheat Flour, Molasses, Candied Citrus Peel (Glucose, Orange Peel, Sugar, Lemon Peel, Acidity Regulator: Citric Acid), Salt, Mixed Spice
You can purchase this pudding in 3.5 oz., 14.1 oz or 28.2 oz.
#2: Matthew Walker Luxury Christmas Pudding no. 13
Ingredients: Sultanas, raisins, currants (32%), cider (11%), demerara sugar, sugar, breadcrumbs (wheat flour, wholemeal wheat flour, wheat germ, yeast, salt), palm oil, brandy (4%), glace cherries (4%) (cherries, glucose-fructose syrup, colour: anthocyanin, acidity regulator: citric acid, preservative: sulphur dioxide), rum (3%), rusk (wheat flour, salt), wheat flour, sherry (2%), almonds, walnuts, orange and lemon peel, molasses, mixed spice, salt.
You can purchase this pudding in 3.5 oz., 14.1 oz., or 28.2 oz.
We highly recommend that you put a whiskey butter, whipped cream or clotted cream on top of the pudding for some added flavor!
-Alexis
Halloween just passed and Thanksgiving is around the corner; we are in the heart of fall! This time of year is most beautiful due to the colors of the changing of leaves and cozying up next to a fire with a fall snack and tea. Why not bring that joy to someone you loves’ home or as a gift to yourself “just because”. Here at ETS, we have beautiful hand made gift baskets that can act as a decoration and provide some tasty treats and teas to visitors throughout the holidays! It is a great way to try some things you’ve been wanting to without purchasing more than you need. Choose a gift basket from below and let us know what your favorite item is!
Tastes of Fall Gourmet Gift Basket
This beautiful basket is for the food lover in your life! It features some delicious treats that are perfect for a fall party! You will receive a popcorn ball, corn cob popping popcorn, smokey cheese straws, smoked salami, chocolate & caramel salted cookies, honey wheat dipping pretzels, vanilla caramels, chamberry truffles, grained mustard, french onion dip mix and a copper finish oval platter!
This basket is great for the snacker in your life. With many different chips & candies and some tea to wash it down with, this basket is great for trying some things you’ve never had before! This basket includes miss vickies bistro chips, snack mix, cherry bon bon candies, vanilla cream spice tea, shortbread cookies, veggie cheese dip and honey mustard pretzels all wrapped in a dark stained wicker hamper.
Or for our more crafty customers, you can head to our British Food Store Section on our site, choose some items to add to your basket, then head to your local crafts store to purchase a basket and fall decor to make your own!
-Alexis
What is Bubble Tea?
The other day at a fall apple festival near my hometown in PA I saw a huge sign that read “Bubble Tea $6.99”. I have never heard of such a thing so I came home and researched exactly what it was because I love trying new things. I soon found out that bubble tea, also known as tapioca tea or milk tea, originates in Taiwan where you can find bubble tea stands on every corner. The “bubbles” come from the froth that the milk makes when the drink is shaken prior to drinking. The pearls in the bottom of the glass are tapioca pearls that are typically black in color but can also be white or clear. They are soaked in a simple syrup before using so that they add sweetness to the drink. After the pearls are placed in the glass, it is then filled with a chilled drink then shaken.
Now for a recipe! If you like Chai Tea, you have to try this awesome bubble tea recipe. It is delicious! However, if you prefer other flavors of tea, feel free to sub them in!
What You’ll Need:
5 Chai Tea Bags (we recommend Tazo Organic Chai Tea)
Coconut Milk (or whole milk if you prefer)
Honey
Tapioca Pearls (you can find these on Amazon)
Simple Syrup (optional)
Put it together!
- Boil the tapioca pearls for 15 minutes. Turn the heat off and let them cool in the water for 6 minutes.
- Rinse the pearls, place in a container with simple syrup or water and chill. (If you like a sweeter drink use the simple syrup so the pearls absorb the sweetness)
- Brew your chai tea by steeping 5 chai tea bags in 3 cups of water.
- Grab a tall glass, put 1/2 cup of coconut milk in the glass, add honey to taste.
- Add a few spoonfuls of tapioca pearls.
- Put 3/4 cup of your tea in the glass and mix it up!
- Grab a straw and enjoy!
-Alexis
We haven’t even reached Halloween yet but we are extremely excited to tell you that we now have Christmas Crackers available for your purchase. It’s never too early to stock up on them as gifts or for yourself! And it’s also never to early to talk about Christmas!
What are Christmas Crackers?
I had no idea what a Christmas Cracker was before the English Tea Store starting selling them! But I am so happy I now know because they make such easy, inexpensive & fun gifts that all ages will love.
They were invented (by accident) by a man named Tom Smith in 1847. That means this tradition has been around for over 150 years! A cracker, pictured below, is a small cardboard tube wrapped in beautiful Christmas paper. Two people hold on either side of the tube to “pop” it. Next the cardboard turns into a hat for you to strut around in, a small gift, a balloon and a saying/joke. The “joke” is usually so laughable because they really are not that funny. The tradition is to crack them open after Christmas dinner.
Tom Smith eventually started making Crackers for more seasons because they were so popular! Something that makes crackers so special is that they are made by hand.
Here at ETS, we have crackers for all ages. There are crackers for adults & kids.
Christmas Crackers for Adults:
We also carry a large variety of Pudding Lane Crackers! If you’re planning on having a Christmas party this festive season, they would make for perfect party favors! Or even pick one up for each member of your family for an inexpensive & fun tradition to start.
-Alexis
We are staying with the luck of the Irish again this week with Bewley’s Tea, founded in 1840 by Samuel Bewley and his son Charles Bewley. They took a chance with a little shop in Dublin, Ireland and thank goodness they did, because they are now a worldwide power house in the coffee & tea industry!
Today, 175 years later, they are owners of many awards for espresso blends & single origin teas. They are the leading supply of hot beverages in Ireland with over 4,000 hotels & cafe’s selling their tea and coffee.
They pride their Quaker origins and run their company with these origins in mind. They have long term relationships with their suppliers and other coffee/tea producers.
Bewley’s has sold over 600 Million cups of tea worldwide!
Now for some of our fan favorites here at ETS:
- Made in Ireland
- Indian Tea Leaves (Assam & Darjeeling)
- Creamy, Malt Flavor
- Caffeinated
- $8.79 / 80 bags
“This is my go to tea. I love how dark and full bodied this tea is. I never had a bitter cup of tea from this blend. I drink this tea all day long, and enjoy every cup.” Claudia, an ETS Customer
- Made in Ireland
- African Tea Leaves
- Creamy, Malt Flavor
- Caffeinated
- $8.79 / 80 bags
“this is my all time favorite tea! I love dark, strong, malty flavor, taken straight–no milk, no sugar. This one fills my criteria. So glad it’s available online!” – Laura, an ETS Customer
That closes our Breakdown of Brands series! I hope you all enjoyed learning some history behind the brands we sell & why we love them so much. The next set of Wednesday blogs are going to feature some hot new Christmas items! 🎄
-Alexis
